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Children's novel inspires theatre design prize

Nottingham Trent University theatre design undergraduate Lizzy de Courcy Wheeler has won the award after students were challenged to produce costume drawings and create theatre set models for David Almond's stage version of his book.

Lizzy was presented with the award by Andrew Breakwell, the director of Roundabout and Education at Nottingham Playhouse, who worked with the final year students on the project for nine weeks. As part of her prize, she will now work with Nottingham Playhouse Roundabout - which produces plays and workshops for children and young people - to create set designs for its Christmas show, which will tour schools early next year.

Skellig was the first children's novel written by David Almond, who is a visiting professor in Nottingham Trent University's Centre for Creative Writing. Skellig is an extraordinary winged being, discovered wasting away in a dilapidated garage by Michael, a troubled boy whose baby sister is dangerously ill. As the baby approaches death, Michael and his friend Mina bring Skellig out into the light and their world is transformed.

Lizzy gave her design a modern fairytale feel that takes Michael and Mina on a journey through a forest of twisted ladders, jam jars, bottles and objects suspended from the ladder structure. These were associated with life, death and evolution, playing on the book's interest in these themes. The result was an inventive space that inspires both the imagination of character and audience.

Andrew Breakwell said: "It was a real pleasure to work with this very talented and committed group of students on a play we have long wanted to produce here at the Playhouse. The final decision was, of course, very hard to make, however, I thought that Lizzy had grasped the essence of the story and translated it into a theatrical concept that would both challenge and enthral any audience.

"She provided an exciting playground for actors and the creative team and had really thought through her production and design decisions. I'm really looking forward to working with her over the next nine months to realise the next Roundabout production for very young audiences."

"When designing the set I wanted to create the idea of a playground, which could encompass the fast narrative action," said Lizzy, who is based in the university's School of Art and Design.

She said: "Everything the actors need is on stage throughout the whole performance, and they can then be positioned around the set and on the ladders, entering the space at key moments to support Michael on his journey. The play has strong themes of science and evolution and I wanted to bring out these ideas. I also wanted to show the effect that time has had not only on the world, but in a social and human sense, making visual references to bone structures and to the collapse of the human body.

"This process has been a great experience, as I have been able work closely with Andrew Breakwell giving me a good sense of designing within a professional context. It has opened up an excellent opportunity that allows me to progress from university onto the next stage of my career."

Source:www.ntu.ac.uk|

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